A 13-year-old girl has been orphaned after her parents drowned while fishing in Western Australia.
Leslie, 49, and Jon Ballo, 50, a Filipino couple who arrived in Perth nine years ago, died while crabbing.
Their bodies were recovered from the water near the Herron Point boat ramp by police around noon on Thursday.
Leslie, 49, and Jon Ballo, 50, a Filipino couple who arrived in Perth nine years ago, died while crabbing.
Their bodies were recovered from the water near the Herron Point boat ramp by police around noon on Thursday
Relatives reportedly raised the alarm when the pair failed to show up for work on Thursday after going crabbing together on Wednesday.
The couple had renewed their wedding vows two weeks ago and went fishing every week as a bonding exercise.
It is understood their car was found at the Herron Point Campground.
Family friend Marisol Armada has vowed to raise the couple’s daughter.
“I know how much they loved their daughter and we will do the same for her.” Mrs. Armada told Nine.
“They were truly a golden couple… We will cherish them in our hearts forever.”
The church Mr and Mrs Ballo attended has shared their devastation over the couple’s loss and revealed their urgent efforts to find them.
Lead pastor of the New Life Filipino-Australian Community Church said in a statement that he had known the couple since they first arrived in Perth.
“At 6am on Thursday neither showed up,” he told The West Australian.
“We saw brother Jon’s car in the parking lot around 9:15 a.m. Thursday… one police car (was one) minute ahead of us because they tracked the ping from Leslie’s (phone).
‘Even as I looked into the distance, as the dinghy approached, I knew in the back of my mind that the worst had happened.’
The couple had renewed their wedding vows two weeks ago and went fishing every week as a bonding exercise
Ms Ballo’s sister Lei Ortega-Moises shared a heartfelt tribute to her sister and brother-in-law on Facebook, saying she knew they were both “in a good place with the Lord.”
“It’s sad to think that you left us like this,” she wrote.
‘We love you very much. It hurts me/us so much that you are no longer here.
‘We couldn’t believe it.’
She thanked her church members and friends for their fellowship, including the church leadership.
“We love you so much, sister and brother. Rest in paradise,” she wrote.
Police confirmed in a statement on Friday that the pair had drowned and said their deaths were not suspicious.